Clutch having a damper spring

Abstract

A clutch having a friction spring for exerting a frictional torque for restraining resonance of the damper spring utilizing a small pressing force. The friction spring is disposed at a portion of the clutch member which is radially outward from the damper spring. This arrangement reduces the amount of spring force required of the friction spring. Also, the contact areas between the clutch member and the driven gear are located radially outwardly of the damper spring, which increases the annular contact area between the driven gear and the clutch member, and reduces wear.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A clutch comprising: 
       a clutch member, the clutch member being selectively engageable with a driven gear and a driven shaft, and being rotatable about the axis of the driven shaft;  
       at least one damper spring disposed between the driven gear and the clutch member, the at least one damper spring permitting relative rotation between the clutch member and the driven gear; and  
       a friction spring, the friction spring exerting a spring force on the driven gear to urge the driven gear into contact with the clutch member, the friction spring having a restraining resonance in the at least one damper spring due to the frictional force between a contact face of the driven gear and a contact face of the clutch member, the contact faces of the driven gear and of the clutch member are located radially outwardly from the at least one damper spring in relation to the driven shaft, wherein  
       the friction spring is located radially outward from the at least one damper spring in relation to the driven shaft.  
     
     
       2. The clutch of  claim 1 , wherein the contact faces include annular surfaces. 
     
     
       3. The clutch of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one damper springs extends through a respective through hole in the driven gear, with respective end portions of a damper spring pressing against ends of its respective through hole. 
     
     
       4. The clutch of  claim 1 , wherein the clutch member includes a clutch side plate and a clutch outer side plate, the driven gear being disposed at least partially between the clutch side plate and the clutch outer side plate. 
     
     
       5. The clutch of  claim 4 , wherein the friction spring is disposed between the clutch side plate and the driven gear. 
     
     
       6. The clutch of  claim 4 , wherein the clutch member includes a clutch center, the clutch center being rotatable with the driven shaft by a spline connection. 
     
     
       7. The clutch of  claim 6 , wherein the clutch member includes: 
       a plurality of clutch plates mounted at a distal radial location on the clutch center, the clutch plates being engageable with clutch disks supported on a clutch outer, the clutch outer having a bottomed cylindrical shape and being mounted concentrically with the driven shaft;  
       a pressure plate, the pressure plate being partially disposed within a recess portion of the clutch center; and  
       a clutch spring, the clutch spring being compressed between a portion of the pressure plate and the clutch center.  
     
     
       8. The clutch of  claim 7 , wherein a peripheral annular edge of the pressure plate is engageable with the plurality of clutch plates to selectively engage the clutch plates with the clutch disks. 
     
     
       9. The clutch of  claim 1 , wherein the clutch member includes: 
       a clutch center integrally rotatable and concentrically mounted with the driven shaft, the clutch center supporting a plurality of clutch plates; and  
       a clutch outer, the clutch outer being adjacent to the damper springs and supporting a plurality of clutch disks, wherein  
       the clutch outer and the clutch center are relatively axially movable to selectively engage the clutch disks with the clutch plates.  
     
     
       10. The clutch of  claim 9 , wherein the clutch member includes a clutch side plate, the driven gear being at least partially disposed between the clutch side plate and the clutch outer. 
     
     
       11. The clutch of  claim 10 , wherein the friction spring exerts a force between the clutch side plate and the driven gear to urge the contact faces into engagement. 
     
     
       12. The clutch of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one damper spring is disposed within at least one through hole of the driven gear. 
     
     
       13. The clutch of  claim 12 , wherein the clutch side plate includes a recess portion which houses a portion of the at least one damper spring. 
     
     
       14. The clutch of  claim 11 , wherein: 
       the clutch outer includes a recess portion which houses a portion of the at least one damper spring; and  
       the contact face of the clutch member includes an annular surface of the clutch outer.  
     
     
       15. The clutch of  claim 9  wherein the at least one damper spring selectively transmits a torque of the driven gear to the clutch member.